Choose Your Impact: If you can, now is the time to give 

Charities need our support now, more than ever. We are here to help support your giving during this current pandemic crisis. Even if you don’t know where to give, you can start being generous. Here is how to #ChooseYourImpact. 

We have been hearing from Canadians that they want to act and help those affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The list is long of those who need our support at this moment, from neighbours and strangers to local and global charities. Where to start in making a difference? 

You don’t need to know where to give to start being generous. Take a look at how much you give to charity now, and how much you can reasonably budget to give going forward. Did you know that, on average, Canadians give less than 1% of their income to charity? 

Imagine Canada, a research organization focused on the charitable sector, is challenging citizens to give more if they have the means. We are joining them in the call. 

If you can, now is the time to give. 

You can do something today by setting aside money to give. As a donor-advised fund (DAF), Charitable Impact operates like a bank account for your giving. Add money to your Impact Account today, and take the time and space to decide where to give tomorrow. 

Need more support for your giving? Keep reading. 

#ChooseYourImpact and give with confidence

We understand most of us don’t have the time or resources needed to make the most informed giving decisions. That’s why we have launched the #ChooseYourImpact Campaign, connecting you to passionate changemakers and thought leaders — called Impact Ambassadors.

We want you to give with confidence. Now more than ever.

Impact Ambassadors are diving into the range of causes across the charitable sector, starting with those affected by the COVID-19 crisis. With their insight, Impact Ambassadors are selecting charities offering an outsized and immediate impact on meeting current needs. These are organizations that could use your charitable dollars today.

A partnership for generosity

To kick off this initiative, Charitable Impact is tapping into the energy of strategic and savvy young analysts from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Simon Fraser University (SFU). These changemakers are part of two sister organizations: the Vancouver Social Value Fund (VSVF), a youth-led fund created in partnership with the Vancouver impact community, and the Social Innovation Academy, a learning initiative led by UBC Sauder Centre for Social Innovation & Impact Investing (SauderS3i) to drive purpose-driven organizations forward.

Our partnership with these organizations will provide a suite of resources to help guide your giving. Students with VSVF and SIA aim to identify the greatest needs in the community by speaking directly with those working on critical issues. Charities selected by these skilled social sector analysts can be found under the Giving Groups tab of the #ChooseYourImpact Campaign. 

“We see our role as helping donors make informed decisions about how best to help out during this crisis. Many of us are wondering what we can do as we sit at home and this resource should help target funding to the areas of greatest need,” said James Tansey, Executive Director of the UBC Centre for Social Innovation & Impact Investing, in an email interview. 

“This is a new project for Sauder S3i, but one we have talked about many times. This crisis forced us to pull our ideas together and to mobilize our network of analysts and advisors to help where we can,” added Tansey. 

How does it work exactly?

Through #ChooseYourImpact, you can easily browse through a set of Giving Groups to donate to support a shortlist of charities from across the charitable sector.

When you donate, you’ll receive a tax receipt for your generosity right away — even if you don’t have an Impact Account with us. With additional features on our site, you can also turn on monthly support to keep your generosity going. Find out more on the #ChooseYourImpact campaign page.

What else can I do as a donor?

There’s more you can do if you are able to help. For example, rally your friends to give with Giving Groups. Multiple people can combine forces, pool or raise money, and support one or more charities or causes together on Charitable Impact.

Giving Groups are free-of-charge, quick to set up, and simple to share with your networks, allowing employees at your company to give together. Tax receipts are issued automatically for all donations. Once you’re ready, send the money you’ve raised to one or more charities of your choice. Reach out to us anytime to help set one up at [email protected].

We understand that some donors are facing difficult situations. This pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives, and we are grateful for all donors regardless of how they choose to make a difference. If you are able to give, now is the time.